Choosing a perfume can quickly become intimidating: dozens of bottles, notes with poetic names, and a nose that saturates after three tries. Good news: there is a simple method. It all starts with olfactory families.
Understanding the olfactory pyramid
A perfume reveals itself in three stages:
- Top notes: what you smell first, for a few minutes (often citrus or fruits).
- Heart notes: the soul of the perfume, which settles in afterward (often flowers).
- Base notes: what remains on the skin hours later (woods, amber, vanilla, musk).
This is why you should never judge a perfume in the first few seconds.
The main olfactory families
Floral: luminous femininity
Rose, jasmine, cherry blossom: this is the most popular family. It is suitable for those who love delicate and romantic scents. To discover: Cherry Blossom, a certified organic eau de toilette with a springtime trail, or Sandalwood Veil, where jasmine and ylang-ylang meet a creamy sandalwood.
Fruity and gourmand: comforting sweetness
Notes of fruits, almond, vanilla: these perfumes make you want to take a bite. Ideal if you love cheerful and enveloping scents. Try Sweet Garden, fruity and floral, or Milky Almond, round and reassuring.
Woody: modern elegance
Cedar, sandalwood, dry woods: chic and assertive perfumes, often appreciated in autumn and winter. Our selection: Orchard Leather (crisp apple, cedar, and musk), Trail of Fire (pear, jasmine, and dry woods), or Raw Amber, woody, amber, and spicy.
Oriental: mystery and sensuality
Amber, vanilla, patchouli, spices: warm and deep perfumes, perfect for the evening. To discover: Amber Nocturne (rose, pink berries, and sandalwood), Vanilla Patchouli, or Amber Sandalwood, sweet and vanilla-scented.
Which perfume for your personality?
- You are romantic and discreet: a light floral.
- You are cheerful and spontaneous: a fruity or gourmand scent.
- You are assertive and elegant: a woody scent.
- You love to surprise: an oriental scent.
These are just leads: the best perfume is still the one that gives you an emotion.
Eau de parfum or eau de toilette?
Eau de parfum is more concentrated and generally lasts longer; eau de toilette is lighter, ideal for everyday use or in summer. Everything is explained in our article eau de parfum or eau de toilette: what's the difference?
Our tips for testing a perfume properly
- Test on the skin, on the inside of the wrist, rather than on a paper strip: each skin reveals a perfume differently.
- Do not rub your wrists: this breaks the top notes.
- Wait at least 30 minutes before deciding, to smell the heart and base notes.
- Limit yourself to 3 perfumes per session so as not to saturate your nose.
- Spray on pulse points (wrists, neck, inside of elbows) for a better scent trail.
The gift tip
Are you giving a perfume as a gift? Observe what the person already wears or the scents they like (candles, treats, flowers). And to please them on a budget, our Born to Bio eau de parfums are perfect to slip into a beauty set.
Find our entire selection in the Perfumes category. And with our routine offer, enjoy 10% off when you buy 2 products from the selection.